More foreclosures—especially among the rich—mean more estate sales, and more potential for smart shoppers to snag antiques, furniture, and fixtures at well below market value.
Here are three bits of advice culled from an Atlanta Journal-Constitution story about treasuring hunting at estate sales:
Browse on Friday or Saturday. But purchase on Sunday—when items are likely to be reduced, and sellers will be especially willing to negotiate.
Do research on the spot. If you’ve got a smartphone, you can look up the value of various items online, so that you can make an informed purchase — and you’ll also know when something is way overpriced.
Don’t judge a book by its cover. Meaning: Don’t judge an estate sale by a drive-by of the estate. Some homes that look awful from the outside, with dilapidated shingles and overgrown yards, are filled with amazing antiques inside.